Electric track-circuit and method of insulating same.



'PATBNTBD APR. 2a, 1903.

` ELECTRIC TRACK CIRCUIT AND THOD OP INSULATING SAME.

, Arr En 11:13.10, 1902.

no uonm..

UNITED 4STATESV PATENT OFFICE.

EDWARD A. EVERETT, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN.

ELECTRIC TRACK-CIRCUIT AND METHOD OF INSULATING SAME.

SEEGIFIGATION forming part of Letters Patent N o. 726,269, dated April 2,8, 1903. Application filed February 10, 1902. Serial No'. 93,4 77. (No model.)

T0 all wiz/0711, t 11i/ty concern:

Be it known that I, EDWARD A. EVERETT, a

citizen of the United States, residing at Defication.

My'invention relates generally to insulatnals, the-ends of the adjoining Vrails being electrically united by bonds. The imperfect insulation afforded by the ordinary Wooden railroad-ties has rendered it impossible to use' an extended section of a rail as a portion of -the electric conductor of a signal-operating circuit and has consequently restricted the utilization of the rail as a conductor to a comparatively limited section in each circuit. The conductivity of the ties and ground is also increased by the dripping of salt water from refrigerating-cars upon the trackfwhich saturates the ties and ground adjacent to the rails and renders still more imperfect the natural insulation of the rails, thereby increasing danger of short-circuiting the trackcircuits. The absence of insulation between the rails and the ties and ground underlying the rails also frequently results in lthe further objection that foreign currents of electricity, due, for instance, to the discharge'of electricity to the earth from railwayshaving electrically-propelled oars, flow through the track-circuits and operate the signals. Another difticulty which is experienced in the use of track-circuits for electrical signaling is due to the corroding andy rapid deterioration ofthe bondswbetween theadjoining ends of the rails by the salt Water which drips from refrigerating-cars.

The primary object of my inventian is to render possible the use of longer sections of the art to which it pertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, .which form a part of this speci-` ing electric cond uctors, and more particularly' lroding of the electric ,bonds between the adjoining rails forming parts of track-circuits.

A still further object of my invention is to protect the insulating material between the ends of the track-'sections forming parts of electric circuits and the adjacent ends of the adjoining rails outside of the track-circuits,

thereby preventing the insulation of the track-circuits being rendered ineflcient during rainy Weather.

Iaccomplish theabove objects by-interposing oil between the rails and the underlying ties and ground and by coating with oil the bonds connecting the adjoining rails'.

My invention, generally stated, consists in a method of felectrically insulating the rails of va railroad-track.

My inventionxfurther consists in a method of increasing the efficiency of track-circuits vwhich consists in electrically insulating the rails fromv the ties and ground by interposing oil and in applying to the bond-wires thereof hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which the same is illustrated in a convenient and practical form, and in whichj Figure l is a perspective view of a portion of a rail and portions of ties thereunder; Fig. 2, a cross-sectional View through the rail and tie, the latter being broken away; and Fig. 3,

ICO

and beneath the rails is also preferably coated with the oil for a distance on either side of the rail corresponding in extent to the portion of the ties covered with the oil, as indicated in Fig. 3.

In carrying out my improved process the oil is applied to the webs and bases of the rails and also preferably to the ties and ground adjacent to the rails. The oil is applied in sufcient quantity, preferably to each side ofthe rail, to How down the web and around the base. The vibration ofthe rail due to the passage of trains thereover permits the oil to werk between the rail and the ties, thereby eleetively insulating the rails. It has been found in actual practice that by applying the cil to only one surface of the web of the rail it will work its way completely under the base ofthe rail and appear on the opposite side thereof to that upon which it was applied, this action being due tothe depression of the rail by the passage of a train and its subsequent slight elevation after the train has passed, thereby permitting the oil to pass beneath the base of the rail and which upon the passage of a subsequent train is forced in all directions between the under surface of the base of the rail and the tie.

The usual bonds` one of which is shown at C in Fig. l, for electrically uniting the adjacent ends` of the rails are also covered with oil in order to protect them from the corrosive effect of the salt water which drips from refrgerating-cars, and thereby prolong the lite of the bonds. The oil Inay be applied to the bonds by a separate operation from that which insulates the rails. XVhen, however,

the bonds have been secured in place prior to the application of oil to the rails, one operation is suliicient both to cover the bonds with oil and to insulate the rails.

The source of electricity, which is ordinarily a track-battery D, is connected with the insulated section of railby leads cl in the usual manner. The relay or other translating device E is included in the conductor e, forming a portion of the circuit.

From the foregoing description of my invention it will be observed that I have invented an improved method for insulating the rails of a track-circuit and also for further increasing the efficiency of track-circuits by applying a protecting-coating to the bonds uniting the adjoining rails.

Having now fully described myinvention, what l claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

l. In the artofelectricallynsulatingtrackcircuits, the process consisting in interposing Substantially throughout the length of the circuit oil between the section of railroadrails forming part of such circuit and the underlying ties and roadbed, by applying oil to the web and base of the railroad-rails.

2. The method of increasing the eliiciency of an electric trackcircuit which consists in applying substantially throughout the length of the circuit oil to the web and base of the section of railroad-rails forming part of such circuit, whereby the oil is interposed between the rails and the underlying ties and roadbed and whereby the bonds uniting adjoining rails are covered with a protecting coating of oil.

In testimony whereof I sign this specification in the presence of two witnesses.

EDWARD A. EVERETT.

\Vitnesses:

CLARA C. CUNNINGHAM, GEO. L. WILKINSON. 

